Windmill.



No. 7|7,Il5. Patented Dec.`3(l, |902.

J. H. OPFEB.

WINDMILL.

(Application filed Dec. 2S, 1901.) (No Model.)

IN VEN T 0R "UNTTETD STATES PATENT OFFiCE.

JOI-IN H. OPFER, OF GENOA, OHIO.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,115, dated December30, 1902. Application filed December 28, 1901. Serial No. 87,539. (N0model.)

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. OPFER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Genoa, in the county of Ottawa and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Windmills, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in windmills; and the principalobject thereof is to provide ahighly-efticient windmill which will besimple in construction, durable and reliable in service, and powerful inoperation.

Further objects are to render the machine readily responsive to changesin the direction of the wind, to provide removable antifriction-bearingsfor the operative parts and to prevent undue wear and strain thereof, toincrease the stability of said parts, and to improve generally upondevices of this same general character.

The invention Will first be hereinafter more particularly described withreference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ot' thisspecification, and then pointed out in the claims following thisdescription.

In said drawings, in which corresponding parts in the several views aredesignated by similar letters of reference, Figure l is a lateralelevation of a windmill embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents avertical section taken on the line II II of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a detail View, in verticallongitudinal section, of the rear or vane end bearing for the windwheelshaft. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line IV IV of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 isa detail perspective view of an adjustable bearing de vice whichreceives the end thrust of the wheel-shaft.

Referring to the drawings by specific letters of reference, A representsa suitable supporting-tower, and the letter B denotes a surmountingcap-piece or turn-table to which the legs of the tower may be bolted orotherwise secured.

The letter O designates the main mill frame or carriage, which supportsthe wind-wheel andV coperating mechanism and which is rotatably mountedon the tower, being preferably secured upon a removable bearing deviceD, journaled upon the cap-piece. The said bearing device may beremovably secured to the frame or carriage by interlocking lugand-socketconnections, as shown at d, or other suitable means and when worn may bereplaced at but slight expense, thus obviating the necessity ofreplacing the entire carriage. A series of balls E or other antifrictiondevices is preferably interposed between the bearing device andcap-piece, the same being fitted in circular grooves or ball-racesformed therefor in the confronting sides or surfaces of the castings,and the bearing device is preferably provided with a depending circularfiange d', which overlaps the cappiece and protects the bearings fromthe weather. The carriage is provided with an axial bore or opening, andrigidly secured in said opening by a set-screw f or other suitable meansor formed integrally with the carriage is a tubular member or hollowspindle F, in which reciprocates the power-transmitting rod G foroperating the pump or other machine. 'Ihe said spindle passes throughregistering openings therefor in the bearing device and cap-piece, beingpreferably journaled withinthe latter for purposes of rigidity andcompactness, while its lower end is journaled in a suitable bearing h,formed or provided within a plate or bracket H, secured within the towerand provided with a nut or other fastening device f', whereby theseveral parts are held firmly down upon their bearings, while the millis rendered readily responsive to changes in the wind.

The mill frame or carriage C consists of a hub portion or casting formedor provided with oppositely-projecting uprising members or standards Iand J, which are also laterally inclined to one side of the rod G, asshown in Fig. 2. vSaid members are provided with horizontally-disposedbearings or journal-boxes K and L, respectively, in which is journaledthe shattM of the Wind-wheel N, which is counterbalanced by the weightof the directing-vane O, suitably mounted upon the opposite member ofthe carriage. The journalbox L is herein represented provided with aremovable cover or top section l and the box K with an inner removableend cap lo, surrounding the shaft and screwing into aninteriorly-threaded portion of said box, and in ICO each of said boxes,as shown in Fig. 3, there is preferably provided a series of rollers Por other suitable antifriction devices for the shaft, which may besecured within removable boxes or retainers Q therefor. The wheel-shaftis thus furnished smooth and noiseless antifriction-bearings, and itwill be seen that access may be readily had thereto, and the bearingsmay be removed without removal of the shaft.

The end thrust of the shaft is preferably received upon an adjustablenut or cylindrical block R, threaded and screwing into aninteriOrly-threaded sleeve or tubular extension S of the rearward box Kor otherwise adjustably retained in said sleeve. An antifriction-ball Tor a series of such devices, if desired, is preferablyinterposed betweensaid bearing device and the end of the shaft, said ball or balls beingretained within a circular groove or ball-race therefor in the nut, thusreducing the friction to a minimum. The rearward end or portion of thebearing device R may be formed with a number of intersecting slots r, inwhich a suitable device for turning the nut may be inserted and whichreceive a retaining-pin r', inserted through the sleeve S to secure saiddevice at the desired adjustment. On withdrawing the pin fr" the saidbearing device may be turned to take up the wear and the pin reinsertedand passed through another slot to secure the device at such position.

Projecting upwardly from the bearing K of the standard I is aninwardly-curved arm U, also laterally inclined in substantially the samedirection as said standard. To the upper end of this arm is fulcrumed arocker arm or lever V, having a swivel connection, as at g, with thepower-transmitting rod G. The wind-wheel shaft is providedintermediately the two members of the carriage with a crank W orsuitable equivalent device, from which the lever V is operated by aconnecting-rod or pitman X, a series of openings QJ being preferablyprovided in said lever for attachment of said pitman at different pointsfor the purpose of adjustment of the stroke. Power is thus transmittedto the rod Gr directly and Without lost motion, while the parts arearranged to utilize the force of the wind to the best possibleadvantage.

It will be observed that shaft M is located close beside thepower-transmitting rod Gr, so that crank l/V revolves between said rodand standard J instead of in alinement with said rod, whereby the pitmanX is operated nearly in the same vertical plane with rod Gr, andconsequently without loss of power. As shown in Fig. l, the arm U andpitman X are upwardly curved or inclined in opposite directions ortoward the rocker-arm V, which is straight, thus bringing the fulcrum ofthe rocker-arm, its connection to the pitman, and its connection to thepower-transmitting rod in alinement. The opposite inclinations of thearm and pitman also give strength and stability to the structure.

The operation and advantages of the device will be apparent from theforegoing description,taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. It will be understood,of course, that the device issusceptible of various modifications in details of construction andarrangement without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a windmill, the combination with a supporting-tower having a capor turn-table secured thereon, of a rotatable mill frame or carriageconsisting of a hub journaled on said cap formed with opposite uprisingmembers or standards both laterally inclined to one side of the axis ofsaid carriage, a horizontal wind-wheel shaft journaled in bearings onsaid members and having an intermediate crank,an inwardly-curved armrising from one of said members, a rocking lever fulcrumed to said arm,a pitman connecting said lever and crank, and a verticallyreciprocatingpower-transmitting rod Working in an axial opening in the carriage andconnected to said rocking lever, substantially as described.

2. In a windmill, the combination of a rotatable frame or carriageconsisting of a hub portion having opposite uprising standards bothlaterally inclined, a vertically-reciprocating power-transmitting rodworking in an axial opening in said carriage, a horizontalwindmill-shaft journaled in bearings in said standards and having anintermediate crank located between the power-transmitting rod and one ofsaid standards, an inwardly-curved arm arising from the oppositestandard, a rocking lever fulcrumed to said arm and connected to saidpower-transmitting rod, and an oppositely-curved pitman connecting saidcrank and rocking lever, substantially as described.

3. In a windmill, the combination with a supporting-tower having a capor turn-table secured thereon, of a rotatable mill frame or carriagemounted on said cap and having a lower removable bearing plate rigidlysecuredthereto byinterengaginglug-and-socket connections, a tube fittingwithin axial bores in the cap, bearing-plate and carriage and holdingthe latter in place, a wind-wheel supported by said carriage, avertically-reciprocatory power-transmitting rod working in said tube,and connections between the wheelshaft and rod for operating the same,substantially as described.

4. In a windmill, a frame or carriage consisting of a hub portion havingopposite uprising members or standards, a horizontal windwheel shaftjournaled in bearings in said standards and having au intermediatecrank, antifriction devices for said shaft mounted in boxes or retainersremovably fitted in said IOO IIO

IZO

into the rear bearing,` said block having intersecting slots formed inits rear end' to receive a turning device, and a pin or cotter adaptedto be inserted through the rear end of said bearing and to engage one ofsaid slots to secure the block at the desired adjustment, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN I-I. OPFER. Witnesses:

C. E. BAKER, JOHN CHENEY.

